Ella Annie (Sweet) Geer Scribner (1852 - 1912)

Born Nov 1852 in Buffalo, Erie, NY

Ancestors

Wife of Knyphausen N. Geer — married 6 Jul 1867 (to 27 Oct 1879) in Humboldt Co, CA

Wife of Thaddeus Seron Scribner — married 14 Mar 1874 in Napa, Napa, CA

Descendants

Died 11 Aug 1912 at age 59 in Napa, Napa, CA

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Biography

Ella (Sweet) Geer Scribner was a mere fourteen years old when she married Knyphausen “Foss” Geer (then thirty-one). She was fifteen when her daughter Nora was born, and seventeen when son Hampton was born. A short time after the birth of Hampton, she had an affair with the hired hand and it was discovered.

Divorces were almost impossible to obtain and Knyphausen didn't want one. However, Ella felt that they would never get past this blemish so she left Foss in the fall of 1870 when Hamp was just a babe in arms (about 8 months old). Nora was left in the care of her father.

Sometime in 1873, Ella left Humboldt County and moved to Napa, probably in the company of her uncle, Otis Sweet. (Her parents joined her at a later date). It was in Napa where she met and married Thaddeus Seron Scribner. Her divorce was eventually granted, but it was 5 years after her marriage to Thaddeus, and three years after the birth of their first child.

Ella did not respond to her court summons, and did not appear in court to try to gain custody of her children. Thus custody of both children was awarded to Foss Geer. However, at the time of the final decree, Hamp Geer was nine, and had lived apart from his father his entire life. One cannot imagine that he was agreeable to leaving his mother, and it appears that Foss did not force the issue.

Ella went on to have 5 more children with Thaddeus; all of them successful and respected citizens. Thaddeus Scribner was a good man and did, indeed, rear Hamp Geer as his own.

Sources

In the District Court, Eighth Judicial District COUNTY OF HUMBOLDT, STATE OF CALIFORNIA TESTIMONY AND FINAL DIVORCE DECREE: 25 OCT 1879

Birth and Death [1] Census 1870 [2] 1880 [3] 1900 [4] 1910 [5]